Bath tub grip



July 14, 1964 J. H. THOMPSON BATH TUB'GRIP Filed Nov. 5, 1962 INVENTOR. JOHN H. THOMPSON United States Patent 3,140,496 BATH TUB GRIP John H. Thompson, 507 N. 75th St., Seattle, Wash. Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,384 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to what I have herein designated as safety grips for use in bath tubs and shower stalls.

More specifically stated, it pertains to handles or hand holds that are designed for fixed attachment to the walls for a bath tub or shower stall to be grasped by the tub or shower user as an aid in getting from or into the tub or to steady himself in the shower stall to prevent accidental slipping or falling.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a grip or handle for the above stated purposes, that can be applied to the tub or shower stall at any position Where its use will be most practical; which is attractive in appearance; which has a hand hold portion that may be easily grasped and held and which is so shaped that it will not cause serious injury should a person, in using the tub or shower, accidentally fall or bump against it.

It is a further object of this invention to so design the mounting base for the grip or handle portion that it may be readily attached to the tub or shower stall by use of any of the present day bonding adhesives.

Further objects and advantages reside in the details of construction of the device and in the mode of its application and attachment to a tub or shower surface.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one end portion of a bath tub, with a safety grip or hand hold of this invention applied thereto.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the present grip or hand hold as adhesively applied to the tub wall.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the handle as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section, taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 3 showing the cross-sectional shapes of base plate and handle.

FIG. 5 is an inside face view of the handle mounting base as grooved to receive the attaching resin adhesive.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the hand hold or grip of the present invention in one of its suitable and practical places of attachment. It is therein designated in its entirety by reference numeral and it comprises the attaching base plate 10b and a handle that is integral with the base plate and designated by reference numeral 100.

It is to be observed, by reference to FIG. 3, that the handle 10c merges at its opposite ends into the opposite end portions of the base plate 10b and has its medial portion arched outwardly to provide a substantial opening 12 between base plate and handle to receive the fingers of the hand in gripping it. The handle is of the rectangular cross-sectional form shown in FIG. 4, and is of sub- 3,140,496 Patented July 14, 1964 stantial vertical width medially of its ends but is reduced gradually in width as it approaches its ends and these merge into the base in rounded fillets formed integral with handle and base.

The base plate 16b is relatively thin and fiat and the ends of its bounding side edges curve toward each other and merge to define the opposite end limits of the handle and base plate.

The bottom surface of the base plate 10b is formed with two series of back and forth angular slots or channels 13 that cross each other along the center line of the bottom surface. These slots have a depth of about inch and a Width of approximately A3 inch. However these slots may be varied in width and depth as found desirable but should extend approximately to the side edges of the base for best results. It has also been found practical to knurl the entire base surface to insure effectiveness of the adhesive.

Hand grips of this character may be cast of various materials, such as plastic, aluminum or other moldable metal, and may be made in various sizes and in patterns different from that shown without departing from the spirit of the invention. Their place or places of application to the tub or shower wall is optional. The mode of attachment is to apply the selected, appropriate adhesive to the grooved or knurled surface of the base plate and to press it tightly against the surface to which it is to be attached and hold it until the adhesive has set.

Such hand holds or grips are safety devices that greatly aid the infirm and aged, in stepping into or from a bath tub, and are the means of reducing accidents, and injury to tub and shower users. They are readily applicable to tubs or showers already in use and may be applied as original fixtures on new tubs as manufactured.

The rounding of the bounding edges of base plate and handle also eliminates chance of injury due to falling against sharp edges. The handles may be used singly or in pairs at opposite sides of the tub.

What I claim as new is:

A hand grip designed for attachment to the wall surface of a bath tub, or the like; said grip comprising a flat base plate of oval formation, with a handle member cast integral therewith and extending outwardly from the outer surface of said base plate and forming a closed loop that merges at its ends into the opposite end portions of said base plate in rounded fillets, said base plate having a flat, knurled inside surface and having its peripheral edges thin and rounded to merge with the said inside surface, and a layer of the selected adhesive applied to the knurled inside surface of the base plate for securement of the grip to the tub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

